Concerned about a vulnerable adult?

Concerned about an adult at risk of harm?

Adult Social Care within Sefton Council deal with all enquiries relating to harm, abuse or mistreatment.

If you have a concern you can make a referral to Sefton Council on 0345 140 0845 to report your concerns. Don't worry if you are not sure. All reports will be looked into and no action will be taken unless it is needed.

For more information on safeguarding adults please visit Sefton Council website.

In an emergency you can call 999 at anytime.

What is abuse/What to look out for?

Abuse can be:

• Physical: This includes hitting, slapping, kicking, misuse of medication, restraint and force feeding.
• Domestic violence: including psychological, physical, sexual, financial, emotional abuse; so called ‘honour’ based violence.
• Financial or material: This includes theft, fraud or using a person's money, possessions or property without consent.
• Psychological/emotional: This includes threats of harm or abandonment, isolation, humiliation, blaming, controlling, intimidation, harassment, verbal abuse, threats or bribes.
• Sexual: This includes sexual assault, rape or sexual acts to which the vulnerable adult has not consented, could not consent, or was pressurised into consenting.
• Neglect or acts of omission: A failure to provide appropriate care (such as. food, clothing, medication, heating, cleanliness, hygiene) and denying religious or cultural needs.
• Discriminatory abuse: This includes racism, sexism, ageism and discrimination based on a person's disability or sexual orientation. Some abuse in this category might also be classed as a hate crime.
• Modern slavery: encompasses slavery, human trafficking, forced labour and domestic servitude. Traffickers and slave masters use whatever means they have at their disposal to coerce, deceive and force individuals into a life of abuse, servitude and inhumane treatment.
• Self-neglect: this covers a wide range of behaviour around neglecting to care for personal hygiene, health or surroundings and includes behaviour such as hoarding.